Georges River Council has ordered emergency repairs after a boat propeller left a hole in the shark net at Oatley Park Baths last weekend.
The alarm was raised when a member of the public saw a boat entangled in the shark netting at Oatley Park Baths on Sunday.
“The boat’s propeller had twisted the net, and the boat owner had cut away the netting to free himself,” Oatley Amateur Swimming Club secretary Mathew Wylie said.
“While the observable netting above the water line was repairable by the use of cable-ties, under the water the netting has come away from the chain used to weight it down, leaving a sizeable gap, 60 to 100cm in size.
“The hole was in the second section of the netting from the jetty end.”
“This is a public safety issue and I asked the council to expedite the repair of the shark net at Oatley Park Baths.”
A Georges River Council spokesperson said, “Council received a phone call from the public on Monday, February 11 to report damage to the safety nets at Oatley Park Baths.
“Council immediately requested an inspection of the nets, and by lunchtime on Monday a contractor had been sent out to undertake an inspection.
“The contractor identified the damage and carried out the repairs required to ensure that the location was safe for public use.”